Unraveling the Milestones
by Simli
Summary: 3 years after Sasuke’s departure, the remnants of Team 7 pull together for a mission. The tribulations put them to the test and bring unraveled mysteries and unrealized ways of affection to life. Kakashi's finale with a bud who needs to bloom.
1. Day 01 – Back in Konoha: Part One

Unraveling the Milestones

**Genre:** Adventure, Romance, and Humor.

**Ages: **Naruto – 15, Sasuke – 15, Sakura – 15, Kakashi – 29

**Couples: **For me to know and for you to eventually find out ;)

**Summary: **3 years after Sasuke's departure, the remnants of Team 7 pull together for a mission. The trials and tribulations put them to the test and bring unraveled mysteries and unrealized ways of affection to life.

**Disclaimer: **Ugh, I wish I owned Naruto. If I had it my way there would be some cracked out couples here x3. Also, I am for the most part a Sasu/Saku fan and even the occasional Naru/Saku but when it comes down to it….Kaka-Saku is just irresistible territory that I would like to mold into one hell of a couple :D

**Goal of Author: **Well I, defiantly, have a passion for not rushing a story with the romance. I am one that _loves _to play with the characters and not just make them beat around the bush but a forest. In doing so, I have a goal of probably making this one of the longest stories on People just can't fall in love in a span of a month ; Soooooo, each chapter represents a day, and my goal it to make it last 100 days, equivalent to about three and half months. So I hope I get some die hard Kaka-Saku fans out there that will help me keep motivated!

"He speaks"

"_He thinks"_

"Inner Sakura"

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Day 01 – Back in Konoha: Part One

Konoha, where everything started for many of the Leaf Nin but was this place, this haven, was better known as for giving birth to the "Rookie Nine" generation. They were known through out all the Nin villages especially the three, if not most famous, Team 7; but let's not forget the "Come, Come, Paradise" obsessed fan for, for the most part, if it wasn't for him; well they would have went out of business. The number one rookie of the generation, Sasuke. The number one brightest rookie of the generation, Sakura. Then, how could we forget him? Hard to miss when his mouth is constantly dribbling with ramen, the number one most loudest and inexplicit nin, Naruto. Kohano has recovered over the years of the loss of their dear Hokage but they couldn't have had a better of a person to help pick up the pieces, then the spit fire of defiant aging, Tsunade. Yet underneath the calm drift of the wind that caused the trademark representative of the village fall to the ground was nothing more but a 'silence before the storm'; so to speak. Even with the newly birth season of spring, not even the birds wanted to dare fly from their nest. Or maybe the birds didn't want to fly from their nest because of a certain someone trampling through the trees like it was a whale without wings trying to get through the sunlit canopy….sometimes….old habits just die to hard…poor birds.

_Squee!_ was the initial sound heard from a very sugar induced hyperactive blonde. He would crouch attentively on a moss covered branch and swiftly swung his head back and forth looking around wildly. He lifted a calloused hand to shadow his eyes from the morning sun while his cerulean eyes surveyed the trees; he sat…a serious visage set on his maturing features. The trio of whisker mocking lines decorated his cheeks and his lips were set into a firm line. Was it possible that despite his 'bird with no wings' display of flocking to one to tree to another…that he had matured? _"Hrmm…." _From behind the golden headed teen was his sensei, Jiraiya, was panting with his hands on his knees while pausing on a solid branch. He felt the eyes of his sensei looking at his back expectantly and Naruto continued to look forward seriously…to bad the rather large sweat drop clutching his cheek was giving him away. _"-huff- I know where I am…we are…err…it's not my fault!" _He confirmed mentally and nodded to himself and with the typical male ego…he blamed it on someone else! -

"Ano…you sure senility didn't bite you in the ass while you were working on one of your hentai books Jiraiya-sensei?" The young nin said without looking over his shoulder as he scouted more. His sensei sharply looked up while his eye twitched, _"That little…. Heh, I'm not like Gai. I don't praise the youth only the beauty." _Despite the fatigue that plagued his already exhausted limbs he crouched on a branch behind Naruto and slowly moved his head over his pupil's shoulder with the blue eeriness of discontentment over shadow his face.

"Naruto…ya know what I liked best about our journey back here so far?" He asked with a steel glint in his eyes. Naruto gulped inconspicuously and looked at the old man from the corner of his eye, laughing nervously he removed his make shift visor of a hand and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Aha…what's that sensei?" He dared to ask. An unsettling feeling did the mambo in his stomach as he tried to inch away from his ever nearing sensei. Naruto felt his hands get clammy from nervousness as the teacher pulled away with an all to satisfied face as if he recalling a very humorous memory…their journey together wasn't that humorous this morning….-gulp-

"Oh…I don't know. You remember the time you fell out of the tree and into the poison ivy below?" He asked happily with a cunning smile on his face as he watched the stupefied expression claim Naruto's face. Naruto thought long and hard….when did that happen?

"Uh sensei, I don't remember that ha- AHHHH!" Naruto started but Jiraiya had already acted. A rough shove to the shoulder was all he needed for the blonde leaf nin to fall off the branch. Naruto eyes teared as he clutched the tree in a bear hug, his nails scrapping roughly against the bark and his sandaled feet pressing against the sides making the bark flake off leaving two lone bark bare lines. He watched as he finally stopped merely inches above the ivy that had taken root at the base of the trunk. His chest heaved as the anime tears fell. Finally his head snapped up and glared at his sensei with vengeance,

"Bastard! What were you thinking! Pushing me off like that, I could have gotten hurt." Naruto hollered, yep still expressed his feelings in a volume that made the man wince. His sensei frowned as he looked at the blonde fox nin who clutched the tree upside down like a possum.

"I'm sorry…" He started and Naruto stared dumbfounded? Well then, that just meant that he understood that he was inferior for harassing the future Hokage like that. Good boy. Naruto nodded to himself but a cold chill was sent down his spine as she slowly let his blue orbs slide to the side eerily and look back up to see his sensei leaping off the branch, "Sorry… sorry that I didn't make you fall completely! Kya!" Jiraiya grinned evilly as he landed firmly, heavily, and roughly on Naruto's rump that was sticking out in the air from his awkward tree hugging position.

Naruto winced and made a tearful face. Almost as bad as the time Kakashi-sensei sent him flying into the river with that god awful "Violate the butt" seal of his hands. Yep. Self dubbed. His Sensei frowned at seeing as how Naruto clutched the tree still. Well, he would just have to fix that! He cackled and Naruto gave a desperate look to the heavens. Naruto then felt a burn on his skin under his still bright orange attire. The pinching continued and he slowly looked back at the tree to see lines of red on the tree. Was the tree bleeding? Then he saw a red dot on his nose. _"Eh?"_ Crossing his eyes, he focused in and saw an insect…

He screamed and his sensei looked down at him oddly, "What are you whining about boy? I haven't even started jumping yet!" He demanded and as he jumped once in the air but as he was coming down, Naruto had released his death grip on the tree and landed mercilessly into the ivy below and doing fire rolls all over in it. The old man screamed and swiftly landed in a dog pile on his student then, like student like teacher, he shared the pain.

"FIRE ANTS!" They both screamed and continued to romp around in the ivy till they felt any type of relief. None had come. They paused in their rampage as both men looked down between them…an ant hill. With high pitched fan girl like screams they bolted through the woods screaming and scraping at themselves like they had fleas.

"Naruto! When I get my hands on you, you are going to wish you had never been born!" Jiraiya cried out with anger and Naruto could only whine and continue scratching himself all over his body.

"Well, when I, ow, become, ow, a Hogake-owwiiiieeeee! You, ow, are going to, ow, wish, ow, YOU had never, ow, been born! OWIIEIEE!" Naruto hollered back over his shoulder.

The two continued to run out of sight of the horrid anthill but their screams echoed through the trees. Two eyes watched silently from the shadows of another tree and smirked. The figure stood slowly and looked back at the tree with the red ants marching all over it. The shadowed one watched as one ant wandered from the line to investigate the bare marked lines in the tree and the spectator smirked. _"Anyone who strays from my new found line of order…will be killed."_ Then the figure flinted off only leaving one sign that he was ever there in the first place. A kunai was sticking out from the tree…the curious red ant was its victim.

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The birds continued to sing outside the silent apartment, almost requesting for the figure bunched up in the blankets to arise. She rolled over stubbornly and sleepily her hand swatted around the comforter to bring a blanket over her shivering frame. Warm sunlight leaked through her sun bleached blossom colored curtains and continued to dance across the dark blue carpet. Her standard student apartment was nothing different from any other 'ninja in training's apartment except this one was like it contained the atmosphere of Antarctica. A frown covered her lips as she still couldn't find the edge of the blanket. _Thank you. _Those words were echoing in her head again. "Yea, thanks for giving us a cold from leaving us out there all night…-grumble grumble- he hurts us he hurts us precious." inner Sakura fumed in the haziness of her waking consciousness.

The prone figure finally sighed angrily having lost to the mission of 'Find blanket and sleep in for a few more hours'. She opened her jade eyes slowly showing the dullness of sleep still attacking them. She slowly raised her hand to her face and shoved the stubborn bubble gum hair out of her face. Wispy locks clung to her cheeks after finally lasting though another night of restless sleep. The three years granted her six more inches of the cherry blossom hued hair which pooled around her which was going to be one of the first things going once she was out and about. She frowned and stared at the ceiling…why did it seem so far away?

"_Ne? How the…did I shrink?"_ She wondered idly and looked over her shoulder suspiciously. Well…there were the blankets…floating on the wall? "Okies….I'm not that far gone! What the hell….omgee…I wasn't decapitated in my sleep was I!" The sudden thought made her go still as she rushed through a quick limb role call by twitching each of her limbs. She caught a small movement above her and scowled skeptically. She continued her role call and it did it again… it was moving back and forth awkwardly. Sakura almost went green in the cheeks thinking that there were bugs under the blanket that was…well… floating on the wall. Maybe she was doing an Alice and wonderland. She smirked to herself as she counted, _"One…two…three!" _Finally she sprung up to tackle the weird moving things and it all seem to happen in slow motion.

She watched as a whole new horizon was offered to her as she rocked off of her back and into the air. She had fallen off the bed in the night…those were her toes wiggling under her blanket….she clutched her toes and remained deadly still on the corner of her bed. She laughed nervously with a sweat drop as she realized she was sitting on the corner of the bed and well, there just wasn't enough room from the bed to the floor to allow her to flip and land safely. "Okay. Take it slow and lean forward…" She guided herself aloud and suddenly.

**_DING DONG! _**

"AYIIEEEEE!" Sakura screamed as she jumped from the loud chime.

Outside of Sakura's apartment stood none other than Rock Lee. The years seem to pay little heed to our walking ball of green. He sprouted a few inches from his early years but…god forbid…that dark bowl cut, furry brows, and lower lashes still claimed his sixteen year old features. Probably the only thing that changed for the 'almost over his obsession with Sakura' features were the yellow ankle weights that were changed to heavier ones.

"Oh Sakura dear! Are you alright?" He asked as he flinched when he heard a loud thud from within the apartment. Hearing her scream he acted. Hey, it was his Sakura right? Got to take care of his woman! He leapt through the open window and landed within the living room and he suddenly shivered. Wow it was cold in here! _"Sakura lovely could catch a cold like this!" _He thought and turned to shut the window. Then he walked over to the half cracked bedroom door and saw Sakura with a large vein pulsating from her forehead. She laid on the floor with her feet in the air and her hands still clutching her toes. "Sakura!" He called out shocked and suddenly it was like a pistol was shot from her eyes as she looked up at him with a deadly glare that stopped him in his tracks. She growled like she was the Kyuubi.

"Lee-_chan_…what are YOU…doing in MY room?" She asked innocently as she started to pull herself up and the way her hair hung over her face was like the ring girl come to life. Lee laughed nervously with a gulp _"Eheh, she never calls me chan…just maybe?" _He coughed and looked at her trying to seem dashing,

"Well Sakura-chan! I've come to your rescue!" He said boldly and returning the suffix lovingly. She clinched her fists as she looked up at him dangerously. He laughed nervously and actually took a step back when she took one forward.

"GET OUT BAKA!" She fumed and threatened to chuck the tied bunch of Makibishi, which she had adopted to use rarely when she was training, that were laying on her night stand. He was out before she finished the sentence. She stood in her room and took a deep breath. Damn that Lee!

Sakura continued to fume like the little engine that could while she grabbed her clothes from her dresser. Lee had always visited Sakura on the days when he wasn't training or on a mission. Lee, for the most part at least, had gotten over his infatuation with Sakura and now a days it was mostly for teasing purposes even though Sakura had made him swear on pain of death not to embarrass her in public again if she passed the Chuunin exam, which they both did a two and a half years ago. Yes, Lee had finally matured a bit. Lee started this habit after Naruto opted to leave with Jiraiya to train after the Chuunin exam. As time passed, even he was not blind to the numb emotions of Sakura after _his_ departure and offered to train her in Taijutsu and in turn she would help him with in deciphering different Genjutsu techniques. Safe to say they kept one another busy.

Sakura was dressed and was now setting down the brush on her vanity table. While being under Tsunade's medic nin training, she was inspired to try a knew style, not to mention Tsunade would nag at her to express herself more so not to allow herself to fade in with the typical nins. So she did. Sandals changed into mid calf brown combat boots where she had carefully woven small pockets inside to store a selection of Makibishi and Senbon Needles and the other boot would lay three wire connected kunais. She wore a mid thigh length black skirt with black spandex shorts beneath. She still had the wrap around her right leg with her kunai/ shuriken pouch. A dark green tank top (as advised by Ino-pig from her 'sense of style' advice) that actually hid very well the underlying waist wrap that held close and safely a few choice of exploding tags. She finished off her attire with short end vest where she put her own selection of mini scrolls which some were snagged from the one and only Kakashi-sensei…though they weren't free…Sakura had to promise to give him money to by his dirty novels in exchange.

Sakura shook her head at the memory of how Kakashi had a field day badgering to supply him money for his Icha Icha Paradise books. Her leaf nin forehead protector was still used as a head band and was only pulled down in training due to a very painful punch in the forehead from Lee. She looked at her long hair distastefully seeing its long locks. Sighing she walked out and saw Lee looking out the shut window, obviously he was eyeing her crystal kunai wind chime. She grinned devilishly as started to sneak up behind him but her Inner Sakura occupied her mind with the memory of the glass chime.

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_Sakura walked through the streets frowning as she thought back to the burials of Haku and Zabuza. The three twelve year old shoulders hung slightly as they thought about the solid reality of what being a ninja was. _

_"Don't turn away. Look. This is what being a ninja is." Kakashi-sensei said to Naruto and Sakura slowly opened her eyes as she looked up to see also. _

_They continued walking though village that resided in the country of the wave when she saw a glitter catch her eye. She stopped in front of the booth and looked at the carved glass chime that was shaped into kunai's. She looked at the price and saw it was fairly cheap and wondered why on earth it would sell that low, especially in a country that was suffering economical depression at the moment. _

_"It's made of glass. That's why." Sasuke spoke from a few steps ahead. _

_"Eh?" She asked as she was surprised out of her stupor. It never ceased to amaze her how observant the stubborn nin was. The fact that he spoke to her about the chime without forcing a response out of him was the only reason why she "bought" the chime in the first place. Then the merchant stepped forward and nodded,_

_"The boy is right young lady. Since we are surrounded by the ocean, there are always storms here. When lightning strikes the beaches on the edge of the island, the lightning turns the sand into glass. So I go out there and collect it now and then and carve it into things like this. See if you look real close, you can still see specks of sand." He explained as he took the chime off the hook and lowered it so she could see. _

_She carefully picked up one of the glass kunais hanging off of the chime and looked through it. Indeed there was some sand. Her jade eyes, after a moment, focused past the glass and onto the dark figure of _her_ shinobi. She was lost in thought when Kakashi-sensei tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned around angrily raising her fist thinking it was Naruto. Her fist was caught by Kakashi who had his typical anime arch of his eye giving away to his smile that was hidden under his mask. She huffed and looked at her sensei annoyed. _

_"If I didn't know better, which I do, so I'm simply going to say; stop eying your 'snooki wooki' so we can head back to Kohano." He said and Sakura flushed bright red. _

_"Baka-sensei! I don't know what you were talking about! I was just getting ready to say I was going to buy this!" She huffed and looked away and saw Sasuke already walking ahead with the bouncy blonde behind him. The merchant smiled and then Kakashi decided to have the honor of pointing out the obvious. _

_"With what money Sakura?_" _He said lazily as he looked off to the side with a smirk under his mask. Sakura grimaced and looked back to her sensei with nervous laughter. _

_"You see. That's a real funny story sensei! Umm, well…" She paused and looked to her sensei and then to the merchant. She leaned forward and whispered something in the merchant's ear and the merchant smiled excitedly and gave a small wave. Kakashi watched her suspiciously as she smirked at him and bound off with a skip. He arched a brow as he looked to the broadly smiling merchant._

_"Err…so I'll be going now." He said and started to walk off when the merchant grabbed his shirt._

_"Exscuse me sir. The young maiden said you would gladly trade me your novel, Come Come Paradise with me on pain of death to get the wind chime for her. Ninjas do keep their word right?" He said in a tone that dared the older ninja to say otherwise. Kakashi frowned as his eye twitched…Sakura giggled from up ahead as she continued walking. _

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Lee watched as Sakura approached him closer and closer from watching her reflection in the window. He smirked and spun around and held a spatula in her face. She stood…dumbfound. _"What the…a spatula?" _Lee smiled and took her hands into his but then raised the spatula into the air like flag and the freaky sparkle in his eye gave way to the fact of him going to start on one of his…

"Oh my lovely Sakura! Let us both join in the creativity of making a lunch for each other to where we can lay under the sunlight and feed each other…" before he could finish, Sakura had snatched another spatula and held it in front of her defensively.

"If I hit you three times I get to wax those eye brows and lashes." Sakura smirked devilishly and Lee looked at this like his golden opportunity.

"You're on my lady. If I win, we spend lunch together feeding one another in the park." He stated and Sakura faltered a bit. She gulped and thought it over real quick while inner Sakura was screaming in horror.

"Aha! Me feed you! Yeah right, I would poke you in the eye with a fork!" inner Sakura ranted proudly and Sakura nodded.

"Fine!" She nodded and took advantage of his happy reverie to slap him on the shoulder with the spatula. "ONE!" She called out as she sprinted across her small apartment. Lee then appeared before her on the bar in the kitchen as Sakura growled angrily, "I just cleaned that last night!" She then swatted at him viciously. Lee chuckled and landed gracefully behind her. She turned around to only have her cheek meet plastic.

"One!" Lee stated happily before running off through the apartment with a joyous skip and she huffed. He got her counter dirty. This meant war. As he continued to gallivant around her living room she snatched a wired kunai from her boot and leapt upon one of the barstools but with her speed it started falling over. She smirked, at the moment the stool fell to the floor, her kunai was sticking out of one of the walls in the living room. Lee turned and smiled,

"You missed Sakura-_chan_!" He replied gleefully and she smirked in response. With a swift tug on the wire it pulled straight and the frolicking Lee tripped over the wire and fell ungracefully to the floor. She leapt over her sofa and landed with one foot pinning down his spatula armed hand and smacked him in the back of the head with her weapon. She smirked victoriously "Two.", "WOOOO! TAKE THAT FUZZY MAN!" Inner Sakura screamed in victory as she yanked on the wire to release her kunai from the wall and leapt off and across the living room. Lee lay on the floor with anime tears mumbling incoherent words of pain.

Lee jumped up and looked to Sakura and smiled cockily. She arched a pink brow at him. "Fight fire with fire my dear." He said and she looked around trying to find what he was talking about. Then she saw an odd looking ribbon hanging off her boot. An exploding tag! She screamed and started waving her boot around frantically and with the spatula she scrapped the tag off and flung it at Lee and it exploded mid air releasing a small explosion. Sakura watched in horror as her brand new sofa became heavily charred.

"My couch…" she said softly…"MY BRAND NEW COUCH! Oh that's it! Fuzzy brow man is gunna pay!" Inner Sakura fumed with a fire storming behind her. She looked around waiting for the smoke to clear when she felt the spatula at the back of her neck.

"Two." Lee said proudly and leapt away. She screamed in rage and took after fuzzy man while practically impersonating a devil on his heels. Lee sweat dropped as he looked behind him to see her with a fire in her eyes. _"Maybe I went too far with that one?"_ He thought as he looked ahead and rebounded off of one of her walls. She followed in pursuit and perched herself upon her charred couch. She looked around cautiously… "Got you!" He cried out happily as he flung himself from his hiding spot and hugged Sakura and effectively pressed the spatula against her shoulder. _"Wow...she is soft." _He thought as he closed his eyes to relish in his victory. Sakura only chuckled and Lee took a deep breath. She smelled so…burnt? He opened his eyes to see he was clutching nothing other but a couch cushion. He cursed as he felt a spatula against the back of his neck.

"Three." She smirked. He went cold….and he heard a rustle as Sakura then walked in front of him holding a small container of bee wax.

He screamed.

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Okies, usually I do ten pages a chapter but this is just 8 and a half. I wanted to see if you guys liked it enough for me to write more:D So please please review!

-Simli


	2. Day 01 – Back in Konoha: Part Two

Unraveling the Milestones

**Genre:** Adventure, Romance, and Humor.

**Ages: **Naruto – 15, Sasuke – 15, Sakura – 15, Kakashi – 29

**Couples: **For me to know and for you to eventually find out ;)

**Summary: **3 years after Sasuke left, the remnants of Team 7 pull together for a mission. The tribulations put them to the test and bring unraveled mysteries and unrealized ways of affection to life. Kakashi's finale with a bud that needs to bloom.

**Disclaimer: **Ugh, I wish I owned Naruto.

"He speaks"

"_He thinks"_

"Inner Sakura"

)o()o()o()o()o()o(

**Thanks to: ****bride-inugami21**; for being my first reader who left a review 3 you will hold a special place in my heart throughout this fan fiction so it's up to you to keep me motivated xD.

**OtakuAnime131**: My second reviewer xD. And yes it is but I couldn't resist xD! Thanks to my only reviewers.

FYI: Ya guys want more chapters? MOTIVATE ME! Gosh, that's what reviews are for xDD. They help us writers keep motivated to write so you guys have more to read!

)o()o()o()o()o()o(

Day 01 – Back in Konoha: Part Two

The dark haired vixen continued to waggle a seductive finger towards the man behind the wooden bar. Luscious full red lips glistened as she slowly called to him and her highlighted eyes seem to draw him in like a siren in the sea. The man walked over with his massive calloused hands twitching in excitement as she leaned forward giving him a splendid view of her—

"KAKASHI!" Tsunade screamed once more as she drove her fists into the desk angrily. Eyes twitched and frazzled wisps of blonde hair fell from the wavy arch of her bangs and into her heated face. She leaned over her desk and glowered at the oblivious jounin and proceeded to think of how many ways she could burn that horrid _Icha Icha Paradise_ book. The properly attired Hokage continued to grind her knuckles into the splintered wood as the silver man's obsidian eye finally drifted over the edge of the book.

In the mind of Kakashi he first stared bewildered. The blonde spit fire had then raised a finger and gestured for the accused ninja to step forward. Kakashi stared and then glanced back down at the paragraph of introduction to the graphic novel. _"continued to waggle a seductive finger…" _Kakashi looked up to the Hokage and coughed with an amused grin. She quirked a brow at his sudden look of amusement and lowered her lids in a skeptical gaze.

"Kakashi. Let me see that book…" Tsunade demanded and held out her hand. Shizune gasped from the corner as Tonton promptly leapt out of her awaiting arms.

"Tsunade-sama! Now is hardly the-" Shizune started but Tsunade held up her hand to silence her. Kakashi cackled with amusement as he walked over to the desk lazily and held out the book,

"Ya know I have more books at home you can read too…" Kakashi mentioned in a sing song voice. Tsunade didn't say anything and opened to the introduction paragraph. _"The dark haired vixen continued to waggle a secutive finger…" _Tsunade froze with a growing sneer. _"Why that little…" _She thought with vehemence. Her knuckles crackled as she struggled to restrain herself. Finally her gaze carried over to the Copy Ninja and he arched a brow at her and with a sick smirk and her monstrous strength…

_Riiiiiiiiip._

Kakashi stared and struggled to cover a strangled whimper. Tsunade ripped the book apart down the spine and the pages littered across the desk top. Kakashi dropped his shoulders in defeat and reached out with shaky hands to rescue the pages from more torture. Tsunade quickly slapped his hands away and with a sickly sweet voice said,

"Now that I have your attention…since you have no interest in hearing about the arrangements for the next Chuunin exam, you are excused." Kakashi looked from her to the fray of pages and back up to Tsunade who was grinning back and was glowing with victory. Kakashi squinted his single eye at her and spout brashly,

"You…are a very mean Hokage." With that he spun on his heel and shoved his now idle hands in his pockets. Before he was out the door Tsunade spoke once more,

"And by the way, expect an exceptionally rigorous mission soon." Kakashi just turned and gave a mock salute with an arched eye to her revenge and poofed out of the office leaving a litter of leaves…innocently leaving leaves…they were really really good leaves. Tsunade growled at the pile of leaves and after briefly rubbing her temples she looked back up to the other Chuunin and Jounin nins who were leaning up against the wall snickering quietly to themselves. She sent a sharp glare their way and they shut up immediately. Asuma just shook his head as he took another puff of his ciggy. _"There goes another 14 dollars down the drain. Damn him for making me buy him that." _

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Kakashi continued walking through the market place with a defeated puppy aura around him. _"Mannnnn."_ He whined as he kicked yet another innocent rock in the dirt road. He groaned and allowed his head to roll back as he looked up to the sky. So peaceful. Konoha has been this way for awhile. The Akatsuki Organization had been on the down low after Jiraiya came and took Naruto out to train after having passed the Chuunin exam later after he came back from the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. Even Orochimaru had kept his snaky self hidden and silent. Though the hidden village of the leaf was still walking on eggshells and tightening the trades and bonds with the other villages it was still in a state of mind of 'Silence before the Storm.'

Kakashi lowered his head with a sigh and continued to let his mind wonder and thought back to the now infamous team seven. Sasuke, no one has heard of him since the battle he had with Naruto. Naruto, after finishing the second Chuunin exam with Sakura, Jiraiya came by and whisked the bouncy blonde off into years of training on the back of summoned frog. Sakura, she was still a regular of Kakashi's. She had started to train under the Hokage and was quickly learning the way of the medic nin and was no longer a defenseless cheery blossom. It was only normal that the once frail sakura blossom of Konoha had gained the abnormal and monstrous strength of her sensei. Every Friday Kakashi and Sakura had agreed to hang out for the afternoon so to remain in touch and every time he saw the determined bubble gummed hair ninja he continued to boast proudly to Gai-sensei of his still blooming student. As for Kakashi…well as long as Sakura remained a Chuunin she would be his student part time and he would sit in his trees and read his Icha Icha. Kakashi sighed.

"My Icha Icha Paradise…." He whined and scowled at the mountain side that was slowly but surely starting to show the young face of Tsunade that townsfolk were carving. He scowled and pondered on pulling a Naruto stunt and having his way with finger painting the mountain. The thought alone caused him to grin beneath the mask because drawing a mustache and the word 'fake' with an arrow pointing down was becoming more and more appealing. Suddenly something caught his attention and caused him to whip around sharply with a kunai in hand and he froze…

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"NO! Please Sakura-san! I beg of you! I must remain the young protégé that Gai-sensei has created!" Lee screamed and dug his wrapped fingers into her carpet of her apartment.

"Lee-_kun_…LET GO!" She growled and continued to pull and tug on his feet. A vein pulsed in her forehead as she huffed looked down at the sixteen year old that proceeded to claw at her carpet. "You. Are. Going. To. Let. Go. Now." She fumed and he looked over his shoulder and waggled his thick eyebrows.

"No." He said in a sort of growl and then he lowered his eyes and looked to the carpet, "Desperate times call for desperate measures." He stated and she arched a brow and suddenly she watched as he opened his mouth and then engulfed a chunk of the carpet and continued to latch on like a snapping turtle.

"Lee-kun! My carpet!" She snapped and leaned over his legs and slapped his head. He only growled at her and she snorted and continued to pummel his skull. He still refused to let go.

Ten minutes later….

Sakura stood back for a moment and watched how the taijutsu user continued to foam on the carpet as he kept it firmly between his teeth. His hands were on either side of head to nurse the small mountains that Sakura raised. She smiled to herself and snatched out another wired kunai from her boot and leaned down and proceeded to wrap it firmly around his legs and with a roar of power from Inner Sakura, she ripped his hands away from his head and bound them behind him. She whimpered as she looked at the two frayed holes in her dark blue carpet.

"You do realize…you ARE going to pay me back for destroying my apartment." She threatened menacingly as her jade eyes took in the destruction. Dirt was on all the countertops. Her couch was still sizzling and hissing. Holes in the walls. Holes in her carpet. She sighed again. "Lee-kun. What happened to that rule of yours? Ya know, if I don't do a thousand punches I will jump rope 1200 times?" She asked sweetly. Can't win by force. Then aim towards the pride. Lee-kun stopped and looked at her and then up to his fuzzy brows then back to Sakura. He released the carpet and the puddle of drool was sloppily drenching the carpet making Sakura want to gag. She smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Now let's go to the salon! My appointment is in 15 minutes." She stood up and walked out her door and then paused when she didn't hear him follow.

"Ahehe, you need to release me Sakura-san." He said and she smirked and jerked the kunai in her hand the made the bound ninja stand up.

"Safety precaution. Start hoppin." She demanded and pointed out the door with the wired kunai. He lowered his head in defeat and continued to hop out the door with an embarrassed blush flushing his cheeks. She continued to walk down the bustling streets with a joyous smile on her face as she folded her hands behind her head. Her boots kicked up a soft trail of dust behind her when Ino and Chouji showed up. Sakura smile brightly and waved to them from the corner and the said two waited for her to catch up. Since Sasuke had left and Shikamaru was already a Chuunin, Tsunade had the two from team ten and seven join into one. They all took the Chuunin exam later that year and even with a few bumps in the road, the four had managed to get along well enough to pass. Since then they had formed another tight friendship.

The two sweat dropped and Ino arched a brow, "Ne Forehead girl. I know you're harsh but honestly what did Lee do this time?" She snickered and Chouji paused on the consumption of his chips. Sakura chuckled evilly and rested an arm on Chouji's shoulder and eased on one foot. While lazily twirling the kunai she tilted her head at Lee.

"Go ahead Lee-san. Tell them what's up." She chuckled.

"I, Rock Lee, have lost against Sakura in a spatula match and thus lost the bet. I, Rock Lee, must allow Sakura-san to wax my eyebrows and pluck my lashes…." He said in a defeated tone but still tried to hold his head high. Ah but how the tears fell. Ino stared and a chip fell out of Chouji's mouth. Sakura chuckled manically and pushed off of Chouji gently and smirked at Lee.

"Start hopin! We are only a block away!" Sakura cheered and Lee sadly started to hop along the side of the road with a shocked Ino and Chouji standing behind them. Ino leaned towards Chouji and whispered,

"I really think Tsunade is starting to really rub off on forehead girl." Chouji could only nod. Sakura clenched her fists and kept walking but Inner Sakura roared to the point Mufasa would run with his tail in between his legs. "Got something to say INO-PIG! SAY IT TO MY FACE! ROAR!" While Ino walked after Sakura and Lee eagerly, Chouji glanced down at the ground at the chip that had fallen on the ground. He quickly looked left and right and snatched it up off the ground and ate it quickly and smiled. _"Ten second rule!"_ The four continued and finally entered the local barber shop.

"Hell guys! How are you today?" The reception asked the familiar faces. Sakura smirked and snapped the wire and soon Lee was released. Suddenly he faltered and made a mad dash to the door before Chouji and Ino tackled him and drug him back. Hey, they wanted to see too! The receptionist blinked and looked at Sakura.

"Hehe! Well I'm here to get my hair cut but Lee-san…has come here to wax his brows and pluckify those lashes." Sakura stated loudly and boldly. Lee was being held up by the arms in a defeated posture with tears rolling down his face. The store went into a shocked silence. Everyone slowly looked at Lee who only nodded with a depressed face. The wind of the news spread outside and onto the street and immediately, anybody who was anybody that knew Gai-sensei and Lee-san were shoving themselves through the doors to see. Sakura shrugged, she would look after it was all said and done and left it up to Ino and Chouji to hold the struggling man down. Heh, he had to keep his dignity after all!

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Kakashi clutched his kunai tightly as his single eye peered at his worst enemy. It was even worse then Gai with those big eyes, kunai like claws, and conniving little personalities that once they hooked ya, brought you down before ya knew it. He slid his foot back against the dirt and eyed it closely to make sure it didn't make any sudden movements.

"Meow!"

Kakashi shuddered. Cats. He hated cats. They were evil. Even more evil than Tsunade! And that folks, was saying something. It took a step forward and he took a step back.

"Aha. Good kitty nice kitty. Shoo. Shoo!" He said nervously waved his hand that was armed with a kunai. He frowned and slipped the weapon in his holster and snagged a random chop stick on the ground with his gloved hands and chucked it at the cat. He watched in victory as it hissed and scampered back a few paces. Suddenly.

Hiss….

It looked up at Kakashi with the sharpest and evilest of gazes. It attacked. Kakashi had meant to jump out of the way but when I merchant wagon blocked his path, he was left defenseless as it attached to his chest and started to work its way up to his face.

"AIIYYYYEE!" The usual stotic ninja screamed as the little hell on claws started swatting at his face and hands. With a few colorful curses he continued to try and pry the freak of nature off of his face. Then with a surge of courage he flung the kitten off into a barrel full of water. Before the kitten could strike again, he used the blood on his hands and swiped them down a scroll. He watched as the savoir was born, Pakkun.

Pakkun looked side to side and saw no battle or no mission emergency and arched a brow at Kakashi. Before he could speak Kakashi leaned down and gave an all too affection pat on the head to the little creature and said, "Aha Pakkun. My wonderful doggy. Take of this for me ne? Ja!" Then he eagerly disappeared down the street.

Pakkun glowered and then saw the cat flop out of the barrel like a drowned rat and snorted. Pakkun was above chasing cats. Stupid Kakashi and his catphobia. It meowed innocently and tilted its head with innocence.

"See. You're not so bad…." Pakkun said petting the wet creature when it glared suddenly.

Cashing!

Claws were now off for display as the demonic kitten looked at Pakkun as if to make chic kabobs out of him. He sweat dropped and turned tail with the little menace out on his heels.

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Kakashi continued power walking till he sought refuge behind a book stand. The merchant looked at the infamous copy ninja awkwardly when he saw the shushing motion of the ninja. Kakashi slowly peered over the edge and his single eye moved side to side to look for the hell cat. He sighed in relief and leaned back against the shelves when he saw the same Icha Icha Paradise that Tsunade had torn up earlier.

_My love!_ He thought happily and gratefully reached for the book and flipped back to where he was. But, before he could even start the paragraph over…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kakashi looked around as the ground trembled. Earthquake? Suddenly Kakashi found himself pinned beneath the books shelves, body twitching as two exhausted forms laid on it in a heap.

"Hey hey Kaka-sensei!" Said an all to familiar voice.

"Ohh! Volume 24! That's one of my favorites!" Said the perverted hermit as he reached down and snagged the book out of Kakashi's twitching fingers. Kakashi sighed and glared at the world. He was never going to be able to finish that book.

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YATTA! I finished the second chap finally! Remember, review and receive. Its my way of the writing ninja. Ja! Sorry bout typos, was in rush too ;

-Simli


	3. Day 01 Back in Konoha: Part Three

Unraveling the Milestones

**Summary: **3 years after Sasuke left, the remnants of Team 7 pull together for a mission. The tribulations put them to the test and bring unraveled mysteries and unrealized ways of affection to life. Kakashi's finale with a bud that needs to bloom.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto, there wouldn't be a need to write fanfictions xD. Belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

"He speaks"

"_He thinks"_

"Inner Sakura"

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**Review thanks:**

**SweetAssassin: **Hehe! Thank you! As much as I'm a hopeless romantic I love humor xD Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Noyesgirl: **Thank you so much! I really hope you like this chapter as well!

**Darkened Memories: **Thank you so much! You write some of the longest reviews which I'm very thankful! Hehe! Oh and as for you disbelief on the book giving in the first chapter, hehehe this chapter will explain what happened after she left 3 Hope to hear another reply from you!

**Silent Kunoichi…: **Yeah I really hope I can reach my goal with the chapters but I've thought about this story so much I think I can. I just need ya there motivating me! xD Enjoy the chap!

**Ymir-chan: **xDDD I laughed at your narrative in your review x3. Here is the next "highly awaited chapter" and I hope you enjoy it! Keep up to reviews and thanks for your extended one! 3

**Pyro-witch2: **Tee-hee! Yush 3 I really feel bad for Lee but psh, those eye brows were almost a life force themselves xDD. I hope you enjoy the chapter and it keeps you laughing!

**AngelWingRinoa777: **W00T! Thanks for your support Rinoa! (Go figure I've been playing FFVIII just awhile ago too x3)

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**On with the story…**

Day 01 – Back in Konoha: Part Three

Sakura couldn't help but smile amusedly when it took both Chouji and Ino to pull the rabid green beast into a chair. He was soon attacked by many hair tenants that proceeded to strap the foaming bob haired nin down and began to deprive him of his clone like attributes of Gai sensei. Sakura grinned and spun on her heel as she fell back into another chair comfortably and silently the woman untied the forehead protector and gave it to Sakura to hold in her lap. The pink haired kunoichi watched steadily the movements of the hair stylists' hands that continued to delve and thread through the mass of hair. Sakura suppressed the involuntary shiver that threatened to quiver about her body, ever since the first Chuunin exam, Sakura had never liked the thought of someone touching her hair. It made her feel weak. Helpless as the time of the sound nin holding her by her hair like a defenseless rag doll. Sakura clenched her fists around the hiate-ate.

The first lock of cherry blossom hued hair fell to the floor.

_Thank you._

More wispy locks spilled over her shoulders. Her green eyes locked on it's trajectory down towards the floor.

_Look at your hair. Has so much more shine than mine. Maybe if you had spent as much time training as you did on your looks you might not be here right now about to die._

Sakura's brow creased as more locks continued to fall in a silent shower around her chair.

"_Even if you watched my back, I still watched Sasuke's as he headed towards the other sound nins; saving me again. I was so grateful he was alive…and as soon as he could stand, I reverted back into a helpless princess." _

Sakura released the symbolic forehead protector as her fists clenched. Her eyes traced her reflection in the mirror. Her green tank top that held rows of explosive defenses beneath in wrap, no longer was she going to be caught off guard. Her dark brown short vest that held scrolls, no longer was she going to just watch. Her skirt that had sown in pouches on the inside of her skirt that was full of the throwing nails, Makabishi; so she would never run or be chased. Her kunai holster that was hugging her thigh was to remind her of strength. Her left boot carefully held wired kunai. Her right boot held carefully sown in holders that were home to almost fifty senbon needles; she could be beautiful but deadly. Her hip pouch that held every reminder of what it was to be a ninja along with the elbow length gloves she wore to exert her new found strength.

"Done!" the stylist said as she backed away. Sakura looked up in the mirror and smiled.

And short hair to remind her to never loose anyone close to her again.

"Thank you!" Sakura grinned happily and tied her Konoha forehead protector on her head again and gave the mirror one more satisfied look. "BRING IT!" her inner Sakura cheered and she couldn't help but nod in approval. She turned around and everyone seemed to part like the red sea as Rock Lee stood up. Sakura gasped.

The Green Beast of Konohagakure Village stood ashamed. Lee stood with his now normal eyebrows and almost normal looking yet saddened eyes. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he waited for someone, anyone, to break the deafening silence that filled to salon.

"LEE! Is that you!" yelled a feminine voice. In the door way stood Ten Ten with a shocked look on her face and her cheeks were burning. Her obviously tattered form gave way to the fact that she had just gotten back from a mission. Neji paused and looked over her shoulder, and the calm nin couldn't help but arch a defined brow.

"Lee?" He couldn't help but ask. Gone for two days with his former team mates on a mission and to come back and see almost a decade of Gai look alikeness gone.

"Ten Ten-san! Neji-San!" Lee cried out taking a few steps forward. Then he hesitated and turned away. "I'm glad to see my two former team mates safe from their mission but don't look at me. I've failed Gai sensei in loosing a match to my cherry blossom."

Neji scoffed as his blank eyes moved over to the mentioned and saw the freshly groomed nin. She stood with that determined look in her eyes that he could faintly recall in a blonde nin he had not seen in a few years. He turned his head away as she glanced his way after feeling the burning gaze of his scrutinizing but before she could say anything he continued walking back to the Hyuuga residence to inform his Uncle of his return.

"What is wrong my brown haired youth?" Gai-sensei asked as he stepped forward and looked over her shoulder. And his jaw dropped.

"Lee!" He cried and Lee looked up with the ever dramatic tears.

"Gai-sensei!" Both rushed forward in a hug that caused everyone in the salon to sigh. A few villagers were crowding around the door to see the emotional faces of the used to be twins.

"Lee-san, whatever happened to you?" Gai asked.

"Gai-sensei! I failed you! I lost to my beautiful cherry blossom and thus my punishment." He cried out and behind him Sakura twitched.

"_Let him call me his again and see if I don't start work removing that black bob on his head._" Sakura thought in time with her inner ego.

"Oh! The tribulations of youth! Do not feel ashamed. Every man has lost to the woman of his affections. Even I Lee." Gai sensei said as they shared the personal tears. Sakura and Ino stared eerily at the pair, what woman would ever be with the green beats of Konoha? Sakura and Ino looked at each other and laughed awkwardly. Before the scene could continue in it's little soap opera that could aura, Shikamaru walked in and looked at Lee.

"Shikamaru-kun!" Ino squealed happily and bound over the moping two. Her long blonde hair flicked like a banner behind her and wrapped her arms around him and took a step back.

"Ino-chan." He spoke and nodded. Only Sakura knew of their relationship and was very happy for them both. Instead of exploiting their relationship which Shikamaru dubbed, "troublesome" most of the time, they took fancy to keeping their affections behind closed doors. Shikamaru, being the number one strategist of Konoha, had decided it was in best interests so not to risk Ino being kidnapped and used against the lazy nin. Ino was not as fond of it but understood and Sakura couldn't help but think it was romantic. Sakura snickered, she couldn't help it, and she was after all a hopeless romantic.

"How was the exam meeting with the Godaime?" Ino asked which distracted Shikamaru from staring awkwardly at the green beats on the floor still mopping in their own little world.

"Troublesome." He responded with his all too known phrase but Ino smiled. It was just his way of saying it was something that couldn't be discussed. As more and more villagers surrounded the salon, Sakura sweat dropped.

"I think you just made history Sakura-chan." Chouji said and Sakura laughed uneasily.

"So I did…" She replied.

"Oi. Haruno." Shikamaru spoke and she lifted her head. "Hokage wants to speak with you as soon as possible. I think you might have a mission." He informed her and she smiled brightly. "_Finally!_" It had been months since she last had a mission and frankly she was starting to get bored since her training with Tsunade was becomingly increasingly disrupted for reasons she didn't know.

"Thanks Shikamaru-kun." She grinned but before she could leave a distant yet familiar voice rang through the crowd.

"Sakura-chan!" She looked up in disbelief. "_Naru…"_ but before she could finish her thought. The ant bitten nin had already tackled her into a vice grip hug which caused both to topple back on the floor.

"Naruto!" She said with a large smile. She really had missed her bubbly blonde friend. There he was in all his ant bitten glory. Still attired in his bright orange but traded in the blues for blacks. Instead of the tradition short band forehead protector, he had taken up the black long ones that had the tied ends hanging over his shoulder. He finally hit puberty she mused. The fifteen year old had grown mostly out of his boyish features and obviously was no longer the shortest of the group from how he towered over her. A cough from Chouji got her attention when she realized their position.

"Naruto no baka!" She fumed and punched him with unmeasured strength that sent him flying into the wall. "Makes good wallpaper." Her inner Sakura mused as Sakura looked at the Naruto crater in the all.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry Naruto. I didn't mean to punch you that hard!" Sakura said as she rushed over feeling guilty. Her inner Sakura smirked. That was an improvement. Everyone in the room winced at the reminder of the Konoha Cherry Blossom was defiantly not the weak and frail girl from three years before in team 7. Kakashi held the typical anime arch as he walked into the salon. Naruto laid prone on the floor with his body twitching and Sakura kneeling over him. She sighed and decided she would heal him this once, forgiving his child like energy.

Her hands began to glow with the soothing iridescent hued chakra. Everyone in the room watched silently, not many got to see a medic nin in action for all of the healing was behind closed doors. She rested her hands a few inches above his cheek and the small silky like strands of charka caressed his cheek allowing the bruise to disappear.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto muttered disorientated.

"Stay still baka." She miffed and continued to heal his battered form. Her chakra continued to heal the fallen blonde. His muscles relaxed as the soothing aura continued to snake around his body like a warm breeze, even healing the inflammations caused by the ants. Finally she sat back with a sigh and wiped her brow. "There!" She grinned.

"Sakura-chan! That was amazing!" He said proudly and jumped up flexing. "Oh wow I feel good as new! I knew you cared for me!" He said sneakily and she glared quickly as she cracked her knuckles. He suddenly started laughing nervously and backing a way a few steps.

"Ho-ho-ho! I just got a new idea for my next novel!" Jiraiya spoke in a sing song voice as he walked in seeing the touching scene of Sakura healing his little protégé. Kakashi looked at him from the corner of his eye and back to his two former students and back again. He then eyed him skeptically and the Ero-sennin turned after feeling the Jounin's gaze. The older man coughed and looked away.

"You men are such perverts." Ino scoffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"Na-Na-Naruto-kun?" A soft voice spoke and the two eldest men parted and Hinata was being followed in by Shino. Shino hadn't changed much yet opting for more clothing that hid his features. (A/N: If you're curious, I'm basically working off of the pictures from after the time jump in the series.) He was opted to watch over Hinata while her cousin was off on a mission. Hinata's figure had grown more curvy and wore a jacket but in a different style and her dark amethyst hued hair was now to her shoulders.

"Hinata!" Sakura cheered happily. Sakura bounced up and waved happily to the now stuttering girl. The two had grown closer of the years and soon the entire rookie nine was like unrequited family.

"Sakura-san!" Hinata spoke happily pulling her attention from the grown Naruto.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked in disbelief with a small blush tainting his cheeks. Sakura smirked at the exchange. So at least now he wasn't so dense.

"Hinata-chan! Shino! Come on you guys said we were going to meet up to train about half an hour ago!" Said an all too distinct voice. Everyone looked out the doors and saw Kiba riding on top of Akamaru. Naruto stared in disbelief again. Everyone had changed so much! He turned his head towards the two chattering girls. Especially Hinata and Sakura-chan.

"Naruto baka! You're back!" Kiba laughed on top of the massive dog. Kiba lost the jacket and chose a close fitting one and Akamaru was surely no puppy anymore and now the two traded places, Kiba depending on his canine friend for transportation.

"What did you say Kiba!" Naruto hollered and raised a fist to him. Everyone laughed and Sakura looked around the room, amazed on how the day took a twist for the better. The reunion warmed a small forgotten space in her heart as she took in each one of the still maturing faces. Chouji stretched and made his samurai attire creak softly.

"Oi Chouji. Want to go out and eat?" Shikamaru asked and Chouji grinned at his best friend.

"Yup!" He answered and continued walking out almost with a bounce that made his longer red tinted hair bounce.

"See you later forehead girl!" Ino called and waved to follow the two boys out.

"Ja Ino-pig!"

"We should be leaving as well Hinata-san." Shino said looking at the blushing girl who only nodded.

"Of course. Ja Sakura-chan. See you later Nar-Naruto-kun." She blushed and hurriedly rushed out and leapt on Akarmu's back and the three disappeared.

"Bye Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out the door between to two elder men. Sakura smiled wistfully to herself which didn't go unnoticed by Kakashi. She then frowned and looked out the window and sighed. "_Sasuke-kun._" Kakashi watched stoically as his partial student held that look that was reserved for only one man in the world. Sasuke. Kakashi lowered his eyes to the hyper blonde who was still waving out the window. Kakashi still felt the regret as much as Naruto for not being able to bring back Sasuke. Now there wasn't a trace. He looked back to the pink haired nin as a sudden wave of shock covered her face.

"Aiy! Naruto no baka, you're going to make me late to see Tsunade-sensei!" She then made a made dash and was out the door. Jiraiya stared at the waves of smoke and looked at Kakashi.

"Tsunade-chan really is teaching Haruno?"

"Aa. Sakura is almost at the same level as Shizune with healing and not to far behind Tsunade-sama with strength."

"Wow! Sakura-chan has really improved! I knew she could do it!" Naruto cheered excitedly. "Let's go see Tsunade-baachan!" Before the men could reply the hyper blonde zoomed out the door leaving Ten Ten clinging to the door frame breathing heavily.

"He almost ran over me!" She scoffed angrily. Jiraiya chuckled and shook his head but winced at his ant bites.

"I suppose I should pay my blonde sucker a visit and see if she can heal me before Naruto drives her insane." Kakashi smiled amused and followed the man out when Shizune walked up to the two.

"Jiraiya-sama! Kakashi! Woo, hitting two birds with one stone." Shizune grinned as Ton Ton squealed from her spot on the ground.

"Shizune-san." Both men responded.

"Kakashi, Tsunade-sama would like to see you." She stated and Kakashi nodded as she turned her attention to the Ero-Sennin. "Welcome back Jiraiya-sama. How was training with Naruto?"

"Very well. We were just about to pay a visit to the Hokage herself." Jiraiya grinned.

"Great!...Wa-wait. Naruto is back?" She asked with a small amount of horror.

"Yes." He replied dumbfounded.

"Oh no! Tsunade's going to kill him! No Tsunade don't!" She screamed suddenly and dashed off towards the Hokage tower and the two men looked at each other. Then Jiraiya started laughing nervously which caused the silver haired nin to look at him awkwardly.

"I think it might have to deal with the fact that little Naruto left her a very unwanted gift before he left."

"That was?" Kakashi asked, highly amused at the predicament.

"Just a little---" Before Jiraiya could finish the ear piercing scream of the blonde Hokage echoed over the village.

"JIRAIYA!" The two men sweat dropped.

"I don't think she will mind if I'm late…" Kakashi muttered and started heading back towards his apartment as fast as he could without seeming suspicious.

"Mind if I join you?" the perverted hermit asked laughing nervously and continued to walk beside the shorter man. Ten Ten sighed as everyone was gone and she started to pry the two green beasts off the floor.

"Come on. How bout some tea?" She asked as she started dragging the heartbroken men to a local restaurant so they could douse their worries in the abbess of green tea.

"Oh Ten Ten-chan!" Wailed Lee miserably and sunk his head on her shoulder crying.

"Oh Ten Ten-san!" Gai copied and tucked his head on her other shoulder. She sighed and glared heavily at anyone who dared to block her path.

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Sakura sweat dropped as she stared at the frying Naruto. Not to long after she entered the room Naruto appeared squealing his infamous 'Tsunade-baachan' line and Sakura didn't even get to blink before she saw Naruto being pummeled.

"Tsuande-sensei?" She asked timidly as she tip toed over the very, very, very abused Naruto. "After I spent all that time healing him too!" She grumbled mentally before looked up to see a very satisfied face on her sensei.

"Sakura-chan!" She grinned happily and guided the pink haired kunoichi to her desk and allowed the nin to sit before she took a seat behind her desk. When the blonde hokage was about to speak Naruto groaned and waved a battered arm in the air.

"Sakura-chan." He spoke weakly.

BAM!

Sakura winced as Tsunade chucked the empty sake bottle at his head. Naruto fell back with a thump and Tsunade nodded to herself.

"Serves the little pervert right." She huffed.

"Eh?" Sakura muttered confused as Tsunade shuffled through her desk and pulled out an old tattered paper and slide it across to Sakura while glaring death at the blonde boy. Sakura opened it cautiously and her cheeks flushed red and her eyes widened in shock. "_NARUTO YOU PERVERT!_" She screamed mentally, her inner Sakura already had fainted.

"Naruto no baka!" She hollered and grabbed one of the empty sake bottles off the floor and chucked it at the groaning form that was trying to stand up. With equal rage she shoved the paper back to Tsunade and was grumbling death threats.

"Tsu-….I'm too late." Shizune barged in and paused as Ton Ton snuffed around the fallen ninja.

"Take him to the infirmary. Make him heal 'natrually'. If one medic nin tries to heal him, you better makes use of those senbon needles Shizune." Tsunade spoke in a huffy three year old manner.

"Right away Tsunade-sama." Shizune muttered and started to drag the battered fifteen year old's body out the door. The two women shook their heads in distaste as the door was finally shut.

"So, I don't know. I guess it's going to be a hour or so till your ex-sensei gets here…so how's training going?" Tsunade-sama asked cheekily. Sakura laughed and shrugged a bit as they immersed themselves into a conversation of training, haircuts, and perverted men.

Outside, a devastated Pakkun was still running roof to roof with a really pissed of wet cat right behind him.

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Yatta! Woo! Another chapter done! I know it was kinda of a filler but I was just giving everyone an FYI about everything. This chapter was kinda short considering it was barely five pages on MW but if I get enough reviews back I'll make the next one eight pages long! So Hope to hear from you all! -Simli


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